Rio de Janeiro (RJ) – The Arsenal de Guerra do Rio (AGR), a military organization directly subordinated to the Directorate of Manufacturing, recently received the Infantry Assault Bridge (IAB) from the 1st Battalion of Combat Engineering School (1st BE Cmb). This German floating treadmill, produced by GD Land Systems, is a lightweight and versatile equipment used for the locomotion of operational troops, such as: infantry, paratroop operations and special forces.
The IAB Treadmill has several advantages over other waterway crossing equipment, such as ease of transportation, simple assembly, lightweight composition and the ability to cross steep and rugged terrain. With a length of 30 meters, it is possible to connect up to two modules to reach a final length of 60 meters.
The Arsenal de Guerra do Rio was given the responsibility to study the IAB Walkway and initiate the development of a national project based on this inspiration. A multidisciplinary team composed of materials engineers, mechanical engineers and designers was assigned to conduct the project at the AGR facilities. The goal is to create a fully national solution, a lighter aluminum bridge adapted to the needs of the Brazilian Army.
The project will involve several steps, including component survey, material selection, process definition and creation of technical drawings. Military Engineer First Lieutenant Ana Goulart, head of this mission, attended a course in 2021 on the subject at manufacturer General Dynamics European Land Systems, in Germany, acquiring knowledge in maintenance and operation of the equipment.
In the future, the new treadmill developed by AGR will be manufactured by the national industry and distributed to military engineering organizations for use in cooperation operations, direct support and training, among other activities.
The team at the Arsenal de Guerra do Rio said it is proud to be part of this project that will contribute to the safety and efficiency of Brazilian military operations.
Source: Arsenal de Guerra do Rio